APHA: CHPPD Section Readies for APHA Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.


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Title: CHPPD Section Readies for APHA Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

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Section/SPIG: Community Health Planning and Policy Development

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The APHA Annual Meeting & Exposition is the premier public health educational convention on the planet! APHA's 132nd Annual Meeting will be held this year in Washington, D.C. from Nov. 6-10, 2004. The APHA Annual Meeting Registration, Opening General Session, Public Health Expo, Public Health CareerMart, Everything APHA, i-Communicate, Poster Sessions as well as many concurrent scientific sessions will take place at the newly opened Washington Convention Center. Scientific sessions have also been scheduled at the nearby Renaissance Hotel, the Grand Hyatt and the Marriott Metro Center.

Featured events and speakers will be rich, as you would expect. Some of the notable events and speakers of interest to CHPPD are as follows:

The Opening General Session will take place on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2004 from noon to 2:00 p.m. at the Washington Convention Center. Erin Brockovich will be the keynote speaker at the Opening General Session, discussing her research and groundbreaking work in the area of industrial environmental negligence, its devastating effects on the public’s health, and her continued pursuit for justice for those who have been harmed. Come hear her story of investigation, legal triumph and personal challenges dramatized in the movie "Erin Brockovich.” Erin’s work in environmental health will energize anyone in the Health Planning and Policy Development field.

Elect your APHA officers: Connect with old friends, make new ones and mingle with candidates for APHA office at the New Connections Reception. APHA invites all Annual Meeting registrants to attend on Sunday, Nov. 7, from 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. in the Public Health Expo (Halls D & E) at the Washington Convention Center.

On Nov. 9, 2004, you are invited to walk the halls of Capitol Hill with thousands of other public health professionals to advocate on issues important to public health. This day will start with a rally and briefing about the outlook for public health in Congress. Our advocacy efforts on the Hill will concentrate on important public health issues. Use this opportunity to educate your elected officials and their staff about APHA’s priority issues. To set up a meeting with legislators or for additional information, please visit <http://www.apha.org/legislative/walkhill/index.htm> or e-mail APHA at <grassroots@apha.org>.

For an evening of art, food and entertainment you won’t want to miss, come to the Corcoran Gallery of Art on Tuesday, Nov. 9, from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Join your friends and colleagues for an evening of great food and entertainment. This year’s APHA Celebration, the premier social event of the Annual Meeting, will be strong. Purchase tickets on the Annual Meeting Registration form.

Get Involved: In addition to providing quality education and networking, it is APHA’s goal to give back to the local community. Help to make a significant impact this year and donate $5 to the Earth Conservation Corps (ECC). The ECC is a Washington, D.C.-based environmental group that recruits and trains young people to restore and protect natural resources in distressed neighborhoods. To learn more about this model program, visit <www.earthconcorps.org>.

The CHPPD section has held monthly meetings throughout the year. Dealing with community health planning and policy development, we have been busy putting forth recommended policy statements, analyzing policy problems, proposing strategy and solutions, floating alternatives to consider, and corresponding actions to be taken in order to ensure more consistent policy information. We have been active recruiting and developing our student members into positions of leadership. We have been working on our newsletter and Web page to include five regular items: Message from the Chair; From the Desk of the Webmaster; From the Public Health Student Caucus; Committee Updates; and CHPPD Closing Thoughts. We have been reviewing abstracts in an effort to improve the process and APHA program content. We have been working on updating bylaw inputs, discussing nominations, presenting awards, and have begun working with the Task Force on Aging.

Washington, D.C. is a place where there are many attractions, museums, and fun restaurants. Obviously it is the seat of our federal government, but it is also a city rich in social activism where there are strong indications of local community planning success and informed activism. Be sure to stop by the APHA CHPPD hospitality booth to pick up our flier on the “Insider’s Guide to D.C.” and meet us at the "social hour" Monday, Nov. 8, 6:30 – 8 p.m. WCC 157 CHPPD –- this will be our CHPPD evening reception in the Convention Center. Come join us!